A Scrap of Paper
by hollyhobbit101
Summary: It has been a month since Artemis Fowl came back from the dead. But he can sense there is something different about the way his family act around him.
1. Artemis Fowl II

**Disclaimer: Eoin Colfer owns all the characters. I own nothing.**

A Scrap of Paper

Artemis Fowl II  
><span>Everything is so strange here. I remember everything, of course, but I am only a clone. I have all of Artemis Fowl's memories but they are not mine. Of course, I wouldn't even be writing this if it wasn't for Artemis. He knows the truth anyway. Artemis Fowl died. This body is not his body. His body is lying in the ground where the roses bloom. This body was grown from a chrysalis, not from sperm and egg. I am merely hosting his spirit. We may look the same and act the same but, sometimes, Artemis thinks and remembers what happened and he knows he is a ghost in a different body to the one he died in. I should probably refer to Artemis as I. After all, it is his spirit inhabiting my body.

My thoughts come from an invention Artemis – sorry, I – came up with. It enables my clone body to have proper thoughts and a personality. I suspect my family and fairy friends are slightly disappointed in me. They know I am not the same Artemis Fowl they once knew and loved. They know I've changed since I died and came back. They know I still have much to learn about myself because my memories do not explain everything. They are patient with me and, dare I say it, love me but there is a sadness in their eyes that wasn't there before. My parents have accepted that I will never be what their son was. My brothers are too young to think about me much but even they can sense something is wrong about me. And my fairy friends still treat me the same as they always have. Apart from Holly. She has distanced herself from me. We are still close friends but she knows that I and the Artemis before I died are two different people. Being the soldier she is, she is able to carry on as normal but there is something different about her that suggests she has put up a mental emotional wall and should I ever break it down, I must suffer the consequences.

I need to disconnect from the machine soon. However, I thought of a plan that will help everyone around me to cope with recent events. Artemis Fowl died and there is no reversing death. He is just a spirit and spirits need to be released. He wants to be released and I can do nothing but oblige. So I must write a note for each member of my family. They will need something to remember me by. I'll disconnect now. The words must come from Artemis's spirit. It will be better that way.


	2. Holly Short

**Disclaimer: Eoin Colfer owns all the characters. I own nothing.**

Holly Short  
>Artemis has changed. I can sense it. Ever since we brought him back to life, he's been spending more time alone. I think he is trying to come to terms with what has happened recently. He knows he died and he knows all about Opal dying and her plan failing. He knows everything apart from how his friends are feeling.<p>

He is still the same cunning, resourceful Artemis I once knew but he is more of a recluse. Our friendship will never be the same again. He has been shut up in his office for the best part of the day. This is probably normal Artemis Fowl behaviour but he has forbidden anyone to disturb him, even Butler, and refused to speak to his parents about what he is doing. He won't even play with his brothers anymore. I'm worried about him. I'm worried that, like the Berserkers, his spirit will do anything to get into the afterlife and we will lose him for the second time. Artemis wouldn't do that surely. He left instructions for us to do what we did so he should be happy as he is. Shouldn't he? I don't know. Honestly, most of the time I don't know what Artemis is thinking at all.

I should be dead now. It shouldn't have been Artemis who died. It was meant to be me. He sacrificed himself to save the world from Opal Koboi. That wasn't something the boy who kidnapped me would have done. Although, while Opal is dead, she still haunts my dreams. Every night she appears as I last saw her with black magic eating its way through her body and part of her skull exposed. I am losing sleep over her and that is not good for my duties. If I fall asleep at work again, Trouble will find me out and he'll sack me or at least punish me. Old Trubs takes his duty very seriously so it doesn't matter if you've saved the universe. He'll punish you just the same as any old LEP officer.

A note just floated down in front of me. It has been delivered by one of Artemis's little toys that he built some time ago. I fear it may be one of Foaly's experiments taken apart, re-programmed and put back together. It is written in Artemis's handwriting anyway so that means it must be from him. I read it. When I have finished, I'm sure my face is so red I look like a tomato. Tired I may be but I am still a soldier. So I dash upstairs to stop Artemis in whatever he is planning.

A single scrap of paper floats in my wake.

_Dear Holly,  
>I'm sorry. I know you tried. But it isn't enough. As you no doubt know, the soul always waits for its chance to go to the afterlife. The nature of my death forced my soul to stay on earth but, now it inhabits a body, it is free to leave to the afterlife. I know it was my plan to bring me back to life using a clone but I was wrong. I can stay on earth no more than Beckett can concentrate on the laws of physics. I'm sure by now you know what I am planning and you will try to stop me but, alas, there is no more you can do. I am set on my goal. Tell Myles and Beckett I'm sorry. They're too little to realize that their big brother isn't the same as he once was. Look after my family. Please.<br>Artemis Fowl II_


	3. Domovoi Butler

**Disclaimer: Eoin Colfer owns all the characters. I own nothing.**

Domovoi Butler  
>I'm getting old. I can feel it in my bones. It doesn't help that 15 years of my life was used up to save my life and, naturally, all of Artemis's shenanigans have taken their toll. I'm sure there's been at least three times where I should have died only to be saved by Artemis's intelligence and the healing magic of the People. Speaking of Artemis, I think there's something wrong with him.<p>

I don't think he has Atlantis again; he's moved past that. He just doesn't talk to me anymore. He stays shut up in his office all day and won't even tell me what he is up to. His parents are worried about him. I'm worried about him. Angeline and Artemis Senior have asked me to keep an eye on him but Artemis doesn't make anything easy for us. He's put several combination locks of his door and, knowing Artemis, he'll have hacked into the security cameras and will be alerted the second one of us walks up to his room. He really frustrates me sometimes.

Holly has been helping me to cope with Artemis's behaviour but I know she will have to leave soon. I think Trouble Kelp has been a bit easy on her however, if she takes much more time off work she'll probably lose her job. Mind you, she's in the dark about this as much as I am. We're both soldiers and, while we are both slightly above the average intelligence, neither of us truly understands Artemis. Oh well. I'm probably worried about nothing. Still… I'd better go and check on him. Not that it'll do any good though.

What a minute. Something is flying in the corner of my vision. I make a grab for it. Ah, it is one of Artemis's messengers. It has a bit of paper in its claws. Obviously a message from Artemis. He must need my help in whatever he is working on. So I read it. It isn't what I was expecting at all. I must run and stop him.

A single scrap of paper floats in my wake.

_Dear Butler  
>First of all I want to thank you. You have been mu faithful bodyguard for the 15 years since I was born. You never complained when I was difficult or when I had you running all over the place just to keep me safe. Now I need to ask something of you. My spirit needs to be set free and I must ask you to let me do this. I know you swore to protect me against any danger. But I have to do this. It is my duty. You are a soldier. You understand duty. The second thing I need to ask is to help my family. Mother and father and the twins won't understand. Protect them. Please. I'm sorry, old friend. My time is up.<br>Artemis Fowl II_


	4. Angeline Fowl

**Disclaimer: Eoin Colfer owns all the characters. I own nothing.**

Angeline Fowl  
>These past few years have been a bit of a blur. First there was Arty disappearing for three years. In the middle of those years the twins were born. When Arty came back, I fell ill. When I finally did get better I found out that fairies were real and that Arty was going off with them and saving the world. I then get a call from Butler telling me that Arty was suffering from a mental disease much like OCD. Finally, just when Artemis (my husband) and I thought we could have a proper holiday, I learn that a crazed pixie wanted to take over the world and that my poor Arty died stopping her. Oh yes, they brought him back to life but he's never been the same since. How much more am I expected to take?<p>

All right, I have to calm down. For my children's sake if anything, I need to stay calm. Ranting will not solve any of my problems. Let's think. Arty's been acting strange this past month since he came back. He's been locked up in his office practically all the time. He doesn't talk to us anymore and won't even play with the twins. Something's up and I intend to find out what.

I don't think Butler's any the wiser. I see him standing outside Artemis's door a lot, enquiring as to whether he's needed. Every time he is either met with silence or a curt refusal. To make matters harder, Myles and Beckett are wandering round pestering me to play with them or asking me where Arty is. Really, it's giving me a migraine.

Juliet's been doing the best she can to help but the girl isn't the greatest. She looks after the twin's fine but it always seems to culminate in a huge yelling noise and sometimes a few crashes. I fear she is teaching them some wrestling skills. She isn't the best cook either. I've had to scrub the burnt bits off that many pots and pans my hands are red raw. Speaking of food, I'd best go and cook the dinner. Ah, I see Juliet heading that way too. I'd better deter her.

One of Arty's inventions just landed on my palm. It has a note attached to it. I take it off and thank the little creature. I open the note and being to read. Oh no. No no no. Dinner can wait; I must go and find my husband and show him this. Maybe he can stop Arty.

I run off with a scrap of paper clutched to my chest.

_Mother  
>I want to thank you. You have looked after me all these years and loved me, however difficult I may have been. Show this note to father if you must but I doubt he'll be able to stop me either. No, I know he won't be able to stop me. Nobody will. You haven't complained when I've been off with Holly and the rest of them although you've pestered me to stay safe. You do worry so don't you? They say a mother knows her child better than anyone. I'm sure you've noticed that I've been acting strangely ever since I've returned from the dead. You should know why. I am merely a spirit inhabiting a clone's body. My spirit was forced to stay on earth after my death but now it is able to go to the afterlife. The only thing stopping it is the body. I want to stay on earth as much as anyone but my spirit will never rest until it can leave to the afterlife. I think you know what I'm saying by now. There is nothing you can do. It is my decision to make and mine alone. I have made my choice mother. I'm sorry. Tell that to Myles and Beckett, will you? They won't understand why they can't see me anymore, why they'll never see me again. Just make sure they remember me. I love you Mum.<br>Your loving son  
>Artemis Fowl II<em>


	5. Fear, Frustration, Freedom

**Disclaimer: Eoin Colfer owns all the characters. I own nothing.**

Fear, Frustration, Freedom  
><span>My finger hovers over the button that will free me from this body. I want to push it but something is holding me back. It takes me a few seconds to decipher this emotion. It is fear. I shouldn't be scared; I am Artemis Fowl II, friend of fairies. I will never be scared. Yet I am. Fear of death. Number six on the top ten list of most common fears. Also known as Necrophobia or, more commonly, Thanatophobia. The name is derived from the Greek god of death Thanatos. A mere emotion of something that happens to all people. So why am I scared of it?

Is it because I died once and didn't enjoy the experience? No. I had made a plan to return to earth that time and I was doing it to save the world. Is it because I know that this time it is final? No. I sense I will be at peace and that is what I want. Is it because I am the one pressing the button, that, in all senses, it is suicide? No. I need to do this for my own good. Why then? Why?

For once in my life, I do not know something. It frustrates me and that gives me the energy I need to stab downwards. Just before my finger hits it, Holly, Butler and my parents burst in. They are yelling at me to stop. Butler runs towards me but he is too late. I smile once and then my life is snuffed out like a candle.

The pain lasts only for a second before I am torn from my cloned body. I float over it for a while. My family stare up at me in wonder and I survey my room. My desk is littered with paper. Paper with plans on, paper with drafts of my notes on. Scraps of paper are all that is left of me. All they have are scraps of paper to remember me by. I smile. So this is what it feels like to be truly peaceful. Bliss.

The story of Artemis Fowl was written in scraps of paper. Let's start a new one.


End file.
